


Of Candy and Costumes

by lionessvalenti



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Halloween, M/M, Temporary Character Death Discussed, Trick or Treating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-09
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-25 14:36:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4964455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto and Jack discuss the ethics of Dalek Halloween costumes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Candy and Costumes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [coricomile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coricomile/gifts).



"Exterminate!"

"Oh ho!" Ianto exclaimed with a smile as he held out the bowl of miniature bags of Maltesers. "Aren't you a scary Dalek?"

It wasn't an inaccurate statement. The costume was gloriously detailed, each spray painted bulb at the base shining, and even had flashing LED lights on the top. It was definitely the most true to life Dalek of the night.

"Thanks! My mum made it!" the kid said. He thrust his hand into the bowl and grabbed two bags of candy. He dropped them in his bucket and turned around, hightailing it out of the tourist office.

Ianto inspected the contents of the bowl. There were only three bags left, which seemed about right after a long night of trick-or-treaters. An hour ago, he could barely keep the bowl refilled, the children arriving in packs of five or six at a time. He'd even offered a bag to a few haggard looking parents. Now, the stream of kids had slowed down. The Dalek had been the first child in the office in about fifteen minutes.

"Greedy little buggers."

Ianto started and turned. "Could you please enter through the louder door? It is Halloween, after all. And I'd hate to think what sorts of ghosts wander round here."

Jack laughed. "It's been so quiet downstairs since you've been up here all night, appeasing children."

"You don't like trick-or-treat?" Ianto held up the bowl to Jack, who took a bag. "I loved it as a kid."

"They never used to do this. It was your lot who insisted that you earned free candy just by being children when you figured out that America had been running this scam for years." Jack ripped open the bag with his teeth. "Boo to the whole thing."

Ianto sighed as he took a bag for himself. He'd loved Maltesers when he was young, but somehow lost his taste for them along the way. He couldn't resist trying them again, just for Halloween. "I suppose it's your right as a senior citizen to complain about it. But as a planetary immigrant, shouldn't you be more accepting of cultures coming together?"

"I've lived here a lot longer than I lived there," Jack said through a mouthful of candy. "This is my culture."

"I didn't realize shagging aliens was part of the Welsh culture," Ianto said. He opened his own candy and popped one into his mouth. Yes, still too sweet. He preferred his chocolate bitter and dark.

"You seem to like it."

Ianto couldn't argue with that. It would have been difficult if he'd wanted to, the candy sticking to his teeth. He swallowed and asked, "Do you think it's a bit distasteful? The Dalek costumes? I saw several of them."

Jack leaned against the counter and studied Ianto's face carefully. "I think kids dress up as what scares them. It's empowering for them."

"But Daleks are real. A werewolf isn't."

"That's what you think." Jack tilted his head to the side. "Does it bother you?"

"No," Ianto replied, but he could hear his own defensiveness. "It seems so flippant that they're a Halloween costume when I've seen people I know be murdered by Daleks."

"I've _been_ murdered by Daleks," Jack replied. He lowered his gaze to the floor. "My first death, actually. When I thought it was going to be the only one I'd get."

Ianto looked up at him. "I had no idea. I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago." Jack grinned and grabbed the last bag of Maltesers out of the bowl. "What do you say we turn out the lights and find some dirty use for these?"

"I don't even want to know what you have in mind," Ianto said, but he was already getting to his feet to get the lights. Jack grabbed his wrist as he passed and stopped him. His lips pressed to Ianto's ear.

"Oh, yes, you do."

Ianto smiled. Yes, he did.


End file.
